Of Growth and Blossoming
by OlyveTheOctoPus
Summary: In which Lavinia becomes a woman… but thinks she's dying.


******Written because I was bored. And to give you a snack to munch on while I work on OKM...**

******Warning: This is rated extremely low T only because of WHAT the story is about. If you haven't figured it out by now... um... good luck?**  


******Enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Jane and the Dragon, and am merely using the characters for my own entertainment.**

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It was a typical summer morning in Kippurnia Castle. Dragon was harassing the cows, Jane was sparring with Gunther, Smithy was creating some new designs for weaponry, and Pepper was in the kitchen creating new recipes. The royal children were enjoying their summer and sleeping in until the late hours of the afternoon. They were rather enjoying the short time they had away from their studies. It was a typical summer morning.

At least, Lavinia thought it would be. When she sat up and discovered large red spots on her sheets, her first instinct was to go back to sleep. She thought that perhaps it was juice from the strawberries she had taken to bed with her to snack on while she read her novel. And so she went back to sleep.

When she awoke later, she forgot about the strawberries and immediately went to wash.

But something was amiss. She felt sick to her stomach. And her body was sore.

"Perhaps those strawberries were not fresh any longer. I must let Rake know of this."

It was not until she stood up to leave her bath that she realized that one: the water was red. That two: _she_ was causing the red. And three: that the "strawberry juice"? ...Was blood.

The scream that pierced through the walls of the castle snapped all patrons out of their lethargic routines and made them suddenly alert. It was loud and crisp and ear shattering. And it was undoubtedly the princess's.

Everyone rushed to Lavinia's private latrine and banged on the locked door, trying to figure out if she was in danger. There were a few thoughts that the princess was up to her dramatics once again, but the scream they had heard was undoubtedly, morbidly real. And to be honest, not much scared the princess.

"Lavinia?! Lavinia, my sweet, are you in there?!" Caradoc banged on the door, trying to get her to open it or speak to him or _something_.

"Father… I'm dying."

There was a resounding gasp from the people surrounding the door.

"Lavinia open this door right now!"

"I cannot! I don't want anyone to see me like this!"

"Princess Lavinia, what happened?" Jane called out.

"Oh Jane! Just the worst thing ever! I've been wounded. And now I am to die soon. What a cruel fate this is! I have not yet found my true love. I haven't met any other dragons in this world. And I haven't tasted the wonderful fruit across the ocean nor have I ever met the hermit wizard who lives in the mountains! Life is a cruel one!"

Gwendolyn knocked on the door, "Lavinia stop this please. This is not funny in the least. Please tell us what the matter is. I'm very worried."

"Oh Mother! Poor, poor mother! You will never get the chance to watch me grow into a young woman. And I will never get the chance to grow into a regal queen like you! My life! It is over." There was sobbing heard on the other side of the door.

Cuthbert scoffed, "I bet you're probably making this up to get more attention as usual…"

"Cuthbert! Now is not the time for that." Gwendolyn scolded him.

"Oh sweet, sweet brother. Even our rivalry has come to a bitter end. Never again will I get the chance to prove to the whole kingdom that I am better fit to rule than you." Some of them snickered while the tips of Cuthbert's ears burned red, "And though we may have had our disagreements in the past, you will always be the one and only brother whom I love."

Caradoc banged on the door, "Lavinia, what on earth is going on?"

"Should I get an axe?" Smithy whispered to Jester, who shrugged, looking perturbed by the whole situation.

"Father! Never again will we get the chance to ride our horses in the wild grass together again. Our archery sessions will be no more. Your lovely daughter will perish in this latrine!" she bemoaned.

Pepper frowned, and she turned to Jane, "Why does this whole situation seem familiar?"

Jane agreed, "I feel like I've seen this scene somewhere as well."

Pepper nodded slowly, turning away from the group, "I will be right back. There is something I must check."

Gwendolyn was starting to get seriously scared. "Lavinia, where were you wounded? I can call a medic for you!"

"No medic can heal my ailment, Mother dear. For I am already deteriorating! Crumbling inside!"

Gwendolyn turned to Cuthbert, "Go find a medic immediately and bring them here!"

Caradoc tried the door once again, "Lavinia, darling. Please. We beseech you. Open the door so we can help you!"

"It is too late Father!" she cried, her muffled sobbing heard through the door once again.

Pepper, who had returned, cleared her throat, "Actually, it is not too late. In fact, your life is not threatened at all."

Everyone turned their heads toward her, faces full of surprise.

Pepper bowed slightly, hiding an amused smile behind her hand. She was holding onto the princess's bed sheet. "My king. My queen. Lavinia is not dying. She is… how do I put this? Erm…She has blossomed into marvelous fruit! She has become a ripened cherub!"

They all stared at Pepper in absolute confusion. What on earth was she talking about? She sensed everyone's confusion and sighed.

"Perhaps this should help clarify matters?" she handed Gwendolyn the rumpled sheets, who took them. The queen shuffled them around a bit and her mouth dropped open in an 'o' in surprise. She smiled, amused.

"I see."

Caradoc was trying to see over his wife's shoulders, but she continued to block his view, "What? You see what? What is it? I want to know what it is!"

Gwendolyn addressed the people standing around, "Perhaps all you men should leave. This matter requires the delicate touch of a female."

There was a short moment when none of them understood what exactly she meant by this, but then it all suddenly dawned on them. Every single male in the vicinity turned red. The king looked absolutely mortified.

"Lavinia has become a woman?!" he squawked, perturbed by the fact that his precious little angel was growing up so fast.

Gwendolyn nodded, "Yes, dear. Lavinia has become a woman."

Jester scratched his head, "You know, I'm going to go finish that ballad I had begun…"

Smithy nodded, his face firetruck red, "I-I'll come with you, Jester."

Other male patrons made similar comments and shuffled off in embarrassment as the girls giggled at them.

Pepper knocked on the door, "Princess? Do not worry. You are not on the verge of death. In fact, life has truly begun for you now. Open the door please, and your mother will explain it to you."

They heard a wayward sob, before there was shifting, and she unlocked the door to the latrine. Gwendolyn smiled at the two of them. "Thank you for your help. I can handle it from here."

Pepper and Jane left after bowing to the queen, but Jane tapped Pepper. "How did you know to check the sheets?"

Pepper giggled, "Why Jane? Don't you recall? Six years ago _you_ did the very same thing too!"

And so, by the end of the day, Lavinia was properly educated on what it meant and her coming of age ball was planned. The day was officially marked in the royal archives as the 'Coming of Age' of Princess Lavinia. And from then on, everyone remembered that day as the day where Lavinia became a woman and thought she was dying.

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**Hope you enjoyed :)  
**


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